An Arizona teen was cuffed after his mobile phone rang the police while he was boasting about the theft of a car stereo, the Phoenix New Times reports.
The unnamed 16-year-old, from Peoria, was recorded "bragging to his homies" by local law enforcement operatives, who heard him say of the stereo: "It was bolted down - I had to …

Emergency Numbers

Every mobile I've owned has still allowed me to dial 999 (or 112) when the keypad lock is on. This means that wallet, keys, table edges and anything else I clumsily stumble into has a pretty good chance of hitting one of the still-active keys. Perhaps US 'cells' keep the 9 and 1 keys active in case of emergency.

Still, the perp was caught and, in true US style, his parents/guardians are taking legal action against the local law enforcement community for removing the little gits right to sell on his ill-gotten gains without intervention.*

Ah, Home....

You can always call emergency

"112" (and "999" for those behind the times in the UK) will always work. The phone can be locked and out of credit, but you can still dial them in the UK. Interestingly, my UK phone accepts "911" as well.

@zero

Smokescreen alert

Of course the phone did *not* dial 911. Rather the call was cc'd to the law enforecement authorities as a matter of course. Either all phones are set to do that, or the feature had been turned on (remotely) for the phone of somebody who was already suspect or a phone reported as stolen.

Whichever way, Somebody was listening. Somebody then tipped off the local cops.

Voice dialing?

Re: Somebody then tipped off the local cops.

Dean H. wrote:

>If the phone (and perp) were located via the phone network, the cops had to be on to the call while it was in progress, not after.

No, I don't think so. While a mobile phone (cell phone) is switched on, it registers itself with surrounding cells. A call does not have to be in progress for this to be used to track the device by triangulation.